In the Amazon ecosystem, one certificate per developer makes sense: this way, both the developer, and Amazon, can control who is allowed to execute the software.

In a "hacking community", one certificate per developer makes no sense at all: it only hinders distribution of the software, because (potential) users probably don't have the certificate installed.

Just like we all use one single jailbreak certificate recognized by all devices (I'm speaking for the Kindle Touch here, but I assume that the logic is very similar for other devices), why don't we all use the same signer certificate for Kindlets?

individual signatures only make sense if you want to individually control the distribution of your applications, to make sure that people who didn't pay don't get to execute your application on your device

this entire forum is about freely providing applications for anyone who is interested, and in fact the "distributors" *want* their code to be freely available.

there are multiple commonly known identities which are widely known.

I personally use the "test" identity for signing my applications, so that they can be run on a wide variety of devices with no further hassles. Everybody can sign their applications using that key, just like everyone can sign their firmware updates using the well-known jailbreak keys.

If the goal is to have a wide distribution of our applications despite DRM, then why should we create more and more identities, instead of just using a single, well-known, identity that we can all use?

I vouch for the "test" key. Every currently known application (to me) could have been signed using that identity, and it would work on all devices.

...I vouch for the "test" key. Every currently known application (to me) could have been signed using that identity, and it would work on all devices.

Except that member spl0it has reported that when deregistering a kindle, it can detect the "test" key and delete the developer keystore. I am not aware of any reports of that happening with other developer keys: http://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=185444

Hopefully, using the "test" key that you suggest does not cause the problem that spl0it mentioned.

Could you please go into detail which "test" key you mean and where to find it?

You can use the "test" key contained in any of the currently availabe keystores. For a practical example, look at how it's used for the Font Hack for the Kindle Touch, in particular its build.xml and referenced files (all of the sources are freely available from https://bitbucket.org/ixtab/ktfonthack).

Except that member spl0it has reported that when deregistering a kindle, it can detect the "test" key and delete the developer keystore. I am not aware of any reports of that happening with other developer keys: http://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=185444

Hopefully, using the "test" key that you suggest does not cause the problem that spl0it mentioned.

Just for completeness: every key causes that "problem".

Well actually, it's not a problem at all, but a "feature" of dev keys. When you unregister your kindle, the entire developer keystore is deleted, because (according to Amazon's logic) you as a person are not entitled to test-drive any applications anymore. (And this is exactly the reason why JBPatch includes that "auto-install" feature)

@PoP: what do you think about a big fat notice in the first post, stating that everybody should use the test key, instead of re-inventing their own? This will keep problems for everybody to a minimum.

Well actually, it's not a problem at all, but a "feature" of dev keys. When you unregister your kindle, the entire developer keystore is deleted, because (according to Amazon's logic) you as a person are not entitled to test-drive any applications anymore. (And this is exactly the reason why JBPatch includes that "auto-install" feature)

@PoP: what do you think about a big fat notice in the first post, stating that everybody should use the test key, instead of re-inventing their own? This will keep problems for everybody to a minimum.

We need a new sticky thread with kindle custom development guidelines, which include the "no new dev keys" rule that until then is inadequately unwritten. It needs to be adequately written and prominently posted in plain view (i.e. a sticky thread). IMHO.

[snip]
@PoP: what do you think about a big fat notice in the first post, stating that everybody should use the test key, instead of re-inventing their own? This will keep problems for everybody to a minimum.